Exploring the Field of Business Innovation: New Theoretical Perspectives

Business Innovation is key to the continuing prosperity of firms and to the resolution of environmental and societal grand challenges alike. It has, therefore, become one of the core fields of academic inquiry of our times. It is, however, also an inherently inter-disciplinary subject, inviting contributions from a variety of disciplines. Due to their diverse backgrounds, scholars interested in business innovation frequently lack a “common language” and a shared base of knowledge to integrate their individual contributions effectively.

This revised and updated edition starts with the fundamental considerations concerning the role of theories, different types of theories, and different forms of logical reasoning in this field. It goes on to present seven different schools of thought about business innovation, before concluding with the main theories currently used to study business innovation.

‘Exploring the Field of Business Innovation’ aims at making this domain more accessible to scholars irrespective of their background and career stage, fostering the inter-disciplinary debate, and inspiring researchers to look at this phenomenon from new and different angles.

Oliver Gassmann is Full Professor and Director of the Institute of Technology Management at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. 

Karolin Frankenberger is Full Professor and Dean of the Executive School at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. 

Roman Sauer did his PhD in business innovation and is now a manager in business innovation at Daimler (Mercedes-Benz), Germany. 

Ivo Blohm is Associate Professor for Information Systems and Business Analytics at the Institute of Information Systems and Digital Business at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Maximilian Palmié is Professor of Technology & Innovation Management and Senior Lecturer of Energy & Innovation Management at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.